


Slipping Up

by Rhysanoodle



Category: A Court of Thorns and Roses Series - Sarah J. Maas
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-17
Updated: 2018-08-17
Packaged: 2019-06-28 15:21:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 968
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15709914
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rhysanoodle/pseuds/Rhysanoodle
Summary: Modern High School AU in which Azriel and Elain have been dating for a few months, and they accidentally say those three little words to each other.





	Slipping Up

Elain had been going out with her boyfriend Azriel for four months now. Once she’d gotten past his tough bad-boy exterior, she’d realized he was just a big softy underneath. None of the ridiculous rumors flying around the school about him were actually true, he’d assured her after they’d kissed for the first time behind the school greenhouse where she spent most of her extracurricular time after school. He just didn’t dispel them because he found them fairly amusing.

Being with him caused butterflies to flit around in her stomach, even after all this time, and watching the shocked looks in the hallway as he walked her to class sent shivers down her spine. Nobody knew what to think of Elain now either. She’d always been the high school sweetheart, but she liked getting under their skin and letting them think she perhaps had some rough edges too.

Especially when her ex-boyfriend Graysen had practically pissed himself and come running after her like a wounded puppy one day at lunch, begging her to take him back. Just in case he’d forgotten that he’d been the one who left her heartbroken, she made sure to casually slip Azriel’s name in every other sentence, and when he’d tried to grab her arm as she walked away, she dumped her milk carton on his head.

The entire cafeteria went silent and she simply picked up the rest of her tray and waltzed out of the room to find a quieter spot to eat. Let them talk.

Today, after gardening club, she sat on the curb, waiting for Azriel to get out of football practice so he could take her out to eat. It’d become a routine for them to have a small dinner date on weeknights where they’d catch up on their days and work on homework together.

Az was a senior, a year ahead of her, so he’d always cuddle next to her in the booth and murmur sweet nothings in her ear as he showed her how to solve complex chemical equations or would read over her lit essays for her.

Today, he was running late, but that wasn’t much of a shock. The big homecoming game was next week, and coach had been working them overtime lately. In their small town of Velaris, everyone came back to attend the game. The state of Night lived and breathed football.

Eventually, he pulled his mustang up to the curb and hopped out to open Elain’s door for her, giving her a quick peck before she lowered herself into the seat. She loved that he still treated her like a lady, and it made her giggle to watch this bulky jock in his black letterman jacket so concerned with chivalry.

When they arrived at Rita’s, the local burger joint which was a favorite hangout spot for the team, they slid into their normal booth and ordered two cheeseburgers with fries and a chocolate shake to split. Their usual.

Az wrapped an arm around her, his other hand going to her leg. The familiar motion still electrified her, his hand leaving trails of static and goosebumps as he rubbed her thigh, which was exposed by her sundress. He tucked his chin into the crook of her neck as she reached over to grab her textbooks, and his scent flooded her nostrils.

He’d just showered after practice, and the heady scent of his shampoo set all her nerves on fire. It was an effort not to turn around and kiss the daylights out of him then and there, but they’d have plenty of time for that later, in his car, after they’d filled their starving bellies.

Today’s biggest assignment was her trig homework. They’d recently started covering the unit circle, and she had a hard time wrapping her head around doing all these calculations without the aid of a calculator. Who didn’t have access to a calculator at all times these days? Wasn’t it pointless to do these all on paper by hand?

Elain was flustered as she struggled with her worst subject. She was feeling light-headed by the time she finished the first worksheet and handed it to him to check for errors. Where was their food?

About halfway down, he pointed to a problem, saying, “You forgot to negate this one, love.”

“I love you, too.” The second the words left her mouth, she reached up to cover it with her hand, his body stiffening next to hers. How mortifying! She’d thought about saying it to him for the past couple of weeks now, but she’d had no idea how he would react.

“What?” Az turned to face her as her cheeks flushed scarlet.

“What?” Elain tried to reply, brushing it off. Perhaps he actually hadn’t heard her correctly, and she could play it off.

But Az just squeezed her in a bear hug and whispered, “I love you, Elain,” in her ears. He chuckled. “I’ve been wanting to say it for awhile now, but I kept chickening out, thinking maybe you wouldn’t feel the same.”

She turned to meet his lips with her own, the kiss deeper and more fervent than any they’d shared before, high off the feeling of being in love and being loved in return.

The moment was cut short though as her older sister Nesta dropped their plates on the table, hissing, “Get a room!”

She’d been working here after-school for the past two years trying to save up some spending money for college.

Elain and Az burst out laughing at the look of disgust she was giving them.

They quickly gulped down their food and left an extra generous tip after the show Nesta had been subjected to, and ran out to his car.

They were going to take their sweet time going home tonight.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to @togreblog on Tumblr for the prompt
> 
> All characters are the property of Sarah J. Maas


End file.
